


A Future Together

by thegizka



Series: Shikamaru Week 2019 [4]
Category: Naruto
Genre: F/M, Family Feels, Gen, Siblings, sand siblings - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-11
Updated: 2019-01-11
Packaged: 2019-10-08 05:18:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,145
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17380322
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thegizka/pseuds/thegizka
Summary: They were in love, and they were going to spend the rest of their lives together, but neither of them wanted to break the news to her brothers.Written for Shikamaru Week 2019 Day 4:  Tears / Proposal.





	A Future Together

“Are you ready?”

 

Temari glanced at him, nervousness evident through her usually composed expression.  She didn’t want to do this, but she also knew it was unavoidable.

 

“Are you?”

 

Shikamaru shrugged.  He really wasn’t looking forward to this either, but they were probably as prepared as they could be.  He took her hand and squeezed it, giving what he hoped was a relatively confident and reassuring smile.

 

“We’re ready.”

 

She gave him a small smile.  Then she took a deep breath and pushed through the door.

 

The Kazekage’s office was slightly bigger than the Hokage’s office.  Gaara had a few chairs for guests, and Kankuro was currently sprawled in one playing a handheld game, his feet propped up on the Kazekage’s desk.  Gaara was still working diligently, though he had shed his robe and hat and hung them on the back of his chair.

 

“Kankuro,” Temari snapped, “get your feet off the desk!  Gaara, you can’t just let him do whatever he wants.”

 

The Kazekage shrugged, not looking up from his work.  “It’s the end of the day, and I don’t have any other meetings scheduled.”

 

“That’s not the point.”  She marched over to her brother and pushed his legs off the desk.

 

“Hey!”  The puppet master scrambled not to lose his balance.  “Aw man, you made me lose the match!” He waved his game at her in protest.

 

“Serves you right for your impropriety.”

 

“Oh hey, the crybaby’s here.”  Kankuro grinned, the same dangerous grin Temari used right before she begins a fight she knows she’s going to win.  It looked almost grotesque with his face paint, but it was also much less effective because its target was used to it.

 

“Shikamaru, we weren’t expecting you.”  Gaara looked up, but kept his pen in his hand.  “Is this visit official or personal?”

 

“Personal.”  It was a question he was used to.  Dating the Kazekage’s sister while being the Hokage’s advisor required a constant definition of the boundary between diplomacy and privacy.  Hopefully he wouldn’t need to distinguish between the two going forward.

 

“Then may I ask why you came to my office?  Unless you’re just that eager to see me and couldn’t wait for me to come home for dinner.”

 

He wasn’t sure he’d ever get used to Gaara’s humor.  It came at him unexpectedly, but the Kazekage enjoyed teasing others as much as his siblings.  He just had a better poker face while doing so.

 

“We’re here,” Temari answered, “to file a residence change application.”  She dropped a pre-prepared packet of papers onto the desk. With a deep breath, she announced in a rush, “Shikamaru and I are getting married.”

 

“What?” Kankuro flew out of his chair, looking with surprise between his sister and her boyfriend--wait, fiancé.  “Well it’s about time!”

 

“Congratulations,” Gaara added, finally setting down his pen and genuinely smiling.

 

“How did he propose?  Was it romantic? You’d better treat her right, you little punk, or you’ll have to deal with me!  Though she’ll probably tear you apart herself first.”

 

“Kankuro, be nice,” Temari warned.

 

“What?  I’m just telling him what he needs to know to survive in this family.”

 

“Oh trust me, I already knew that, but thanks for looking out for me.”  Shikamaru gave Kankuro a grin and a fist bump. He liked his girlfriend’s--wait, fiancée’s--brothers.  They could be weird, but they kept things interesting.

 

“So?  How did it happen?”

 

He shrugged.  “We just decided to get married.”

 

“You didn’t set up a romantic date night and sweep her off her feet at the end?  No public spectacle? Did you use your shadow jutsu to spell out ‘Temari, will you marry me?’ in a field of wildflowers?  Come on, I need something to gossip about at the next council meeting!”

 

Temari rolled her eyes.  “You think Mr. What-a-Drag would plan something that involved?”

 

“Uh, yeah!  He’s literally the plan guy in Konoha.  That’s his _job_.”

 

“Like I said,” Shikamaru cut in, “we were just talking and decided to get married.”

 

“Out of the blue?  Just like that?” Kankuro looked skeptical.

 

“Look,” his sister sighed, “we’ve been together long enough to know we’re not going to break up, so we might as well make everything official and get married.  Plus I am tired of finding lame excuses to make trips back and forth between Suna and Konoha.”

 

“So it’s a marriage of convenience?”  The dangerous grin was back on the puppet master’s face.

 

“Oh for goodness’ sake,” she hissed, shooting her boyfriend--wait, fiancé--an exasperated look.  He simply shrugged his shoulders helplessly, knowing Kankuro would never tire of teasing them. It was strangely endearing, even if it could get annoying quickly.

 

“Temari,” Gaara called softly.  He had been looking over the application she had slapped on his desk during their brother’s interrogation.  She froze. They had reached the part of the conversation she wished they could avoid. Shikamaru saw something nearly like fear in her eyes as she met the Kazekage’s questioning gaze, her jaw stiffening in an attempt to remain in control of her facial features.

 

Gaara, never one to use more words than necessarily, waited, but his sister remained silent.

 

“What?  What is it?”  Kankuro looked between his siblings, his playfulness leaving him.  He could tell something serious was brewing. Gaara waited a little longer, but Temari seemed unable to speak.

 

“She wishes to move to Konoha.”

 

“ _What_?”  Kankuro’s disbelief was stronger than his previous surprise.  What little mirth remained in his face fled as it hardened. Suddenly Shikamaru saw the dangerous warrior in him, a quiet anger that shimmered beneath his pageantry and frivolity.  Where moments ago he was welcoming him to the family, Kankuro now appeared vaguely threatening.

 

“I am moving to Konoha,” Temari declared in a low voice.  When she looked at her brother, there were tears in her eyes, but her jaw was set in determination.

 

“Why?” Kankuro demanded.  “Why you? Why not make him move here?”

 

“I offered,” Shikamaru interjected, coming to stand by his girlfriend--wait, fiancée--and take her hand.  She gripped it tightly. “And if you deny her application, then I will move to Suna.”

 

“Alright, application denied!  I hope you like sand up your butt, because you’ll have to get used to it here.”  Kankuro’s eyes glinted dangerously.

 

“You don’t have the authority to make that decision,” Temari challenged.

 

“Gaara, make it official, so this sick joke can be over.”

 

“It’s not a joke,” his sister responded.  Shikamaru knew she hated arguing with her brothers when it wasn’t in jest.  He could see how painful she found this. After years of trying to protect her brothers, of dedicating herself to making the world safer for them, of helping them build a future of peace and freedom, she was walking away from them for a lazy oaf from another village.  What did she see in him to merit such a decision?

Gaara, who had been quiet while his brother exploded, was watching them with a ponderous expression.  His siblings looked at him, waiting for him to lean one way or the other to give someone the advantage, but he simply asked, “Why?”

 

Temari let out a long breath, gathering her thoughts.  Shikamaru squeezed her hand reassuringly. They had explored every argument to their situation, debated the details, pursued pipe dreams and tore them apart with reality.  They believed this was the best decision for their future--Shikamaru and Temari, the two of them together--but that made it no less difficult to convince the others.

 

“I love Suna,” she began.  “It’s home. It’s where my family is.  It’s where we’ve built on the legacy we were given.  I am not turning my back on this village, and I am not turning my back on you.”  She was getting a little choked up, and he strengthened his grip on her hand, hoping to convey how much he loved her, how grateful he was for what she was doing.

 

“I love Suna,” she repeated, “but I also love Shikamaru.  I love him so much that I want to spend the rest of my life with him, which means one of us has to give up our work.  Konoha needs Shikamaru in a way that Suna doesn’t need me.”

 

“But we _do_ need you!” Kankuro burst out, but Temari shook her head.

 

“The village doesn’t.  It already has a wise Kazekage and a shrewd advisor.  You two have strengthened this village and brought peace to its people just as much as I have.  And you have Baki and the council to help you make difficult decisions. Suna is thriving. It’s in good hands with you, which is why I can leave.  Konoha is...messy. There are years of mistrust and misguidance to rewrite, and it needs a lot of healing. I’ve seen how important Shikamaru’s role in that is.  He’s doing his best to create a future free of war and pain, the type of future I know you will make for Suna. I want to support him and see what he can accomplish, which is why I want to move to Konoha.”

 

She smiled at her fiancé, and it was one of her rare, soft smiles that made warmth spread through his chest.  He wanted to kiss her, to tell her how much her faith in him meant, but he didn’t have the words, so he settled for giving her hand another squeeze.

 

“I don’t deserve this,” he said, meaning every word.  Temari claimed he was building a future for Konoha, but she _was_ his future, and the moments when this hit him made him feel like his brain was short-circuiting.  It was so much, this gift of her love, that it was unfathomable.

 

“I know this is a lot to ask of all three of you.”  He glanced at her brothers, these men he had grown to know and enjoyed spending time with.  Gaara was taking it all in quietly, showing traces of bewilderment in his gaze but weighing what they were saying in his mind.  Kankuro’s whole body was tense, but his face paint had blurred around the edges where a few tears had escaped his scowl. “I respect you and everything you have done for each other and for this village.  I don’t want to tear any of it apart. But I trust Temari’s judgment, and she’s willing to give me the chance to help the next generation of ninja grow up in peace. I promise I won’t take that for granted.  I won’t take her for granted, either.”

 

“You better not,” Kankuro hissed.  He was glaring intensely at him, another tear leaking out of the corner of his eye, and when he took a step towards Shikamaru, the latter felt the urge to back away.  But he didn’t, and the next moment, the puppet master was hugging him tightly. “You better understand how unbelievably lucky you are, you giant crybaby.”

 

Shikamaru could hear the emotion in his voice and feel it in his grip.  He understood. It was the same feeling he had felt when Ino had announced she and Sai were getting married.  Kankuro was entrusting his beloved sister to him, was letting someone else step into their lives and have a piece of her heart.  He hugged him back as a promise to not take any of this for granted.

 

“I’m serious,” Kankuro insisted when he stepped back, his slightly dangerous yet playful grin returning.  “If you _ever_ do her wrong, I will personally ensure your final days come swiftly and painfully.”

 

“Duly noted,” he reassured him.  Temari rolled her eyes.

 

Gaara stood slowly and walked to them.  He studied Shikamaru for a minute before extending his hand.

 

“Please,” he said, “take care of her.”

 

“Of course.”  He shook the Kazekage’s hand, feeling the same trust that Kankuro had expressed through his hug.

 

“Then you’re okay with this?” Temari breathed.  Her youngest brother nodded.

 

“This is what you want, and I believe it will make you happy.  You deserve nothing less. Besides,” he said, his own mischievous grin breaking through his composure, “I’ve always wanted an older brother.”

 

“Hey!” Kankuro cried indignantly while the others laughed.

 

Shikamaru caught his fiancée’s eye while her brothers bickered and teased each other.  Temari was beaming with relief and joy. He had never seen a woman as beautiful as she was, surrounded by the people she loved most, looking forward to a future they could build together.  He took the chance to sneak a quick kiss from her, happy he was privileged to share in her life.

 

“Ew, guys, save it for the honeymoon please!” Kankuro groaned dramatically.  "My virgin eyes don't need to see this!"

 

Temari glared at him, but she was still smiling.  "You'd better get used to it.  We _are_ getting married."

 

"Y'know, you moving to Konoha doesn't sound so bad after all."


End file.
